Answer
Short Answer: The whole idea of creation and giving human beings the freedom of choice is a sign of the greatness of Allah, Almighty. He doesn’t really need either to be worshiped or to be glorified; it’s only us who are in need of His love and mercy. So, worshipping Allah Almighty will neither increase nor decrease His greatness and glory. But it serves us, as humans, to gain everlasting bliss.
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Salam Dear Sister,
Thank you very much for your extremely important question. May Allah Almighty help us all to obey His teachings and rules.
Concerning the first part of your question: what is the reason for the creation of human beings? Does Allah Almighty need to be worshiped and glorified?
Satan’s Whispers
Sister, I believe that some of the doubts and questions you raised sometimes come to the mind of a Muslim when his faith is not quite strong. These thoughts are satanic in the first place, for it was Satan who first stood in front of Allah Almighty and arrogantly said what means:
“As you have sent me astray, I will certainly lie in wait against them on Your straight path.” (Quran 7:16)
Satan wants humanity, as a whole, to walk away from the right path. That’s why he always keeps whispering to them with thoughts that would sound reasonable to people who do not have good knowledge of their religion.
As a basic idea, Muslims believe in the general principle in this verse:
He cannot be questioned concerning what He does and they shall be questioned. (Quran 21:23)
Allah Gave Us Freedom of Choice to Worship
However, when talking about our creation, as human beings, we are talking about a gift from Allah Almighty.
It is He Who created us and gave us the opportunity to choose the right from the wrong. It is He who led us to the right path through prophets and the divine scriptures. Allah Almighty says what means:
And your Lord never destroyed the towns until He raised in their metropolis a messenger, reciting to them Our communications, and We never destroyed the towns except when their people were unjust. (Quran 28:59)
The whole idea of creation and giving human beings the freedom of choice is a sign of the greatness of Allah, Almighty. He doesn’t really need either to be worshiped or to be glorified; it’s only us who are in need of His love and mercy.
One of God’s names is “Al-Wadud” (the Ever-Affectionate). That means He Himself comes closer to the people whom He Himself created. Allah says what means:
… and whoever is grateful, he is grateful only for his own soul, and whoever is ungrateful, then surely my Lord is Self-sufficient, Honored. (Quran 27:40)
So, worshipping Allah Almighty will neither increase nor decrease His greatness and glory. But it serves us, as humans, to gain everlasting bliss.
Are Human Beings a Cause of Destruction?
Who said that all human beings are a cause of destruction on earth? Allah Almighty said what means:
And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, “Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority.” They said, “Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we declare Your praise and sanctify You?” Allah said, “Indeed, I know that which you do not know.” (Quran 2:30)
This verse obviously means that Allah Almighty knows who will make mischief and who will make good deeds. That’s why Allah Almighty gave us a will to differentiate between right and wrong.
Who created death and life that He may try you– which of you is best in deeds; and He is the Mighty, the Forgiving. (Al-Mulk 67:2)
Doubts Concerning the Hereafter
Muslims believe that this life has a final hour in which everything is to come to its end. This day will be the last of this life and a starting point of another totally different life, a life that will be either in Paradise or Hell forever.
Some people doubt the existence of the hereafter, so let us think about it together.
For example, imagine if a student who studies at a school kept studying forever without any exams. Do you think that he will prefer to never finish a stage and then qualify to enter another?
Moreover, why not also ask an old man if he’d like to live forever? What do you think his answer will be? Is it going to be: “Yes, I want to live forever?” I doubt it. He will get tired of his life even if we presume that he doesn’t suffer any of the common ailments of old age.
You may say that these examples are foolish and cannot possibly be used as samples to convince you about the importance of the existence of the hereafter. Clearly, man has always asked himself, using philosophy and religion: “What’s next?”
Allah is the Most Just
It’s a kind of question that every person needs to ask himself or herself. Common logic grasps that everything is to come to a certain end. Allah Almighty says in the verse what means:
What! did you then think that We had created you in vain and that you shall not be returned to Us? (Quran 23:115)
Do you think that it’s justice to reward both the one who makes good deeds and the other who makes bad deeds, both with the same reward? This would not be justice at all.
Therefore, our faith in the hereafter urges us to make good deeds and to watch over ourselves and actions, trying to make them all good.
In addition, having faith in the absolute justice of Allah Almighty gives us the chance to refer everything concerning the hereafter to Him only. He is the only One Who knows who deserves paradise for his/her good deeds and who deserves hell for his/her bad ones.
May Allah lead us all to know more about our religion and about how Merciful and Ever-Just He is.
Thank you very much for your question and please keep in touch.
(From Ask About Islam archives)
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